"He's a s*x symbol": Shaquille O’Neal can't stop teasing Charles Barkley over his stunning body transformation

The Inside the NBA crew didn’t waste any time making viewers laugh as they kicked off the 2025–2026 season with their banter. The highlight of the night came when Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t stop going gaga over Charles Barkley’s noticeable body transformation.

Barkley looked slimmer than he did the last time they were on air together, and Shaq made sure to point it out every chance he got. Before the Cleveland Cavaliers-New York Knicks clash on Wednesday, the panel shared their predictions for the matchup between two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams.

During the discussion, one of the hosts mentioned how both teams performed last season. Shaq quickly brushed that off, reminding everyone how much can change in a year by using Barkley as the perfect example.

“That was last year,” Shaq said. “Chuck was fat last year. Now look at him. He's a s*x symbol.”

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

“He's got a point about the s*x symbol,” Barkley agreed.

Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley are known for their constant on-air bickering, but this time the compliments took everyone by surprise. However, knowing their playful chemistry, it probably won’t be long before they’re back to teasing and pulling each other's legs again.

Charles Barkley lost 60 pounds after Mounjaro medication

Earlier this summer, Charles Barkley was announced as the celebrity ambassador for Ro, a telehealth company focused on GLP-1 treatments. He shared that by using GLP-1 medications and committing to a healthier lifestyle, he was able to lose a significant amount of weight.

"I know GLP-1s work — I've seen it for myself," said Barkley. "The hard part was getting the medication when I needed it. That's where Ro comes in – they make it easy. I don't have to jump through hoops — I know my treatment is handled. Also this isn't just about me, it's about making sure regular folks have real tools to take control of their health and start feeling better. Let's go to work!"

Barkley also recently gave them a shoutout after Shaquille O’Neal jokingly called him a “s*x symbol.”

“Shoutout to my doctors at Ro.co,” Barkley responded. “I’m working out too now. You’ve got to work out. You can’t just take a shot.”

The Inside the NBA crew is known for targeting Barkley with overweight jokes. But now that he’s looking slimmer, it seems like those jokes might finally start to fade away.

Edited by Advait Jajodia